PORTRAYAL OF FATHERS IN HAYDEN'S "THOSE WINTER SUNDAYS"AND MUHAMMAD HAJI SALLEH'S "WORDS FOR FATHER

Despite both poets coming from different background, but then they have shared a common theme in their writings. Both poems deal with portrayal of father through the voice of a grown up son. Hayden's poem is a reflection of the persona''s attitudes towards his own father when he was a child. He notices that he has never thanked his father despite all the things he had done. Unfortunately, time cannot be reversed and later when he is an adult only he realises his father's contribution and love. But, it is too late as his father has passed away. However, his realisation of his father's contribution and love is what matters. His later appreciation towards his father makes him a better person.

Meanwhile, MHS's "words for father"also portrays father through the voice of a grown up son. Here, the son depicts how hardworking his father is and his works have accumulated illness. Here, the persona advises his father to rest, from his works and his heavy responsibility to take care his children. Now that the persona is an adult, he and the others can pay his father's contribution and take care of him.

Looking at the appreciation that the persona has shown to his father, I feel that it is stirring. I also very touched towards the speaker in Hayden's poem...yes..it is true...life is so short...
We will never know what will happen to our loved ones , so take the chance to thank them while they are still alive...For me, I have lost some of the chances...

cRaCkING HeaD...

Writing responses to poems is sure a challenge for me. One thing to understand the poems and another thing to analyse the poets'treatments to both poems. I have to look for literary devices that poets always utilised in their writings in reference books. I notice that by doing this assignment, it actually refreshes my memory on literary and poetic devices poets are using.

I identified that both poets, Hayden and Muhammad haji Salleh have made used of literary devices such as repetitions, alliterations, consonance and even symbolism in order to convey messages laden in between the lines.They have also clearly depicted the subjects'through images and diction.

fiRsT sTeP to WriTE


I have been reading the book on critical perspective about MHS for several days. I have grabbed bits and pieces about Muhammad Haji Salleh and his works and think that he is an established, talented poet that refreshes the Malaysian world of literature.

Hm...after looking through both poems that I want to deal in the research paper so many times and also the informations from books and websites, i have come out with similarities and differences from the poems. Then, i had met my supervisor, Dr. Noreen and consulted the points that i have identified. She is very supportive and asked me to focus on the main thing that I want to do. She also gave several suggestions especially on the part in which I have to write the implications toward eduaction. There will be a lot more things to do for my research paper and it will be a challenge for me. Grateful that Dr. Noreen's smiling face keeps giving me hopes and motivation to work hard.

collecting information

collecting information and references to start on my research paper is excitingly tedious job to do. After reading through all information, I have to select sufficient information, the best suited to the title of my research project.

For this assignment, I'll be using information from the websites, books and the rest from my own personal respponses to the poems I am dealing with. As for Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays", I mostly read through the information using computer and while I read it, I straight away highlighted the important points for future reference. But, for Muhammad Haji Salleh's "words for father", I have to cracked my mind in order to interpret his poem. It is undeniably interesting to interpret, bt then I have to read articles about his writing stle so that interpretation comes easier. I also asked about Muhammad's poem to Dr. Edwin and he said that it is a semi autobiograpy of him. Dr. Ed also said that the famous poet is a friend of him. Thinking of that, I feel that it must be interesting to get to know people that is famous in Malaysia...hehehe (just thinking) Oh, one information about MHS attracts me. I came across that Hayden is MHS's lecturer and that Hayden once inspired Muhammad Haji Salleh to become a writer. What a coincidence...

LIBRARY, I WAS THERE...

Last Sunday, my friends and I had successfully went to UPM library. The day before I had gone there, but unlucky for me as the library closed as it was the first Saturday in the month...wuaaa..

Therefore, with determined mind, my aim is to find references for my research paper project. At first, when I tried to search the location of the books, I could not find any book about Muhammad Haji Salleh(MHS). But, when I went to the literature section and after quite a thorough searching, I managed to get hold of two books about MHS and another book which has many information about Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays". I am so happy, that I successfully found them...at least after this I can read the critical book on MHS and use information there in my research paper.hehee...

InTeRNeT DaY

Here, I am in cyber cafe...typing this internet diary of mine. Today, I have good news and bad news for my self. Start with the bad news first...As I expected, it is very difficult to search for information about Malaysian poets and poems in the net. I spent almost 2 hours now. I got hold only bits and pieces information about Muhammad Hj. Salleh.
Meanwhile the good news is that I found quite a lot websites about Robert Hayden's background profile and moreover, I managed to find information regarding the poem that I am going to analyse, which is "Those Winter Sundays". So happy for this...hehehe.
I think "if there is a will, there is a way". I will have to go to library to search about Muhammad Hj. Salleh's background information later when I have time. Actually, there are times, but I'm "afraid" of "losing my sight and way" in the library.hehe...Losing my sight because I will always feel sleepy...ZzZz.And losing my way because I am not a frequent visitor. I guess, it is time to ask "The Queen Of Library" that is lovely Kiang...

get set...

Hm, I have not met my beloved supervisor, Dr. Nooreen for a time. I should have met her earlier, but then I did have nothing in mind for my research paper. But, a few days back, I had read and schemed through the "lovely" Kirszner, just to get few hints and signs to get my project started.When I scheme through guidelines on how to analyse poems, something happened to me (am I being too dramatic, hehe!). I thought that why not I try to analyse poems. It will be quite a headache, but I'm sure it will not cause me my life(again...being too dramatic).

Therefore, after a long thought (which was 2 days later), I decided to try to analyse poems portraying father. I would love to go in depth in Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays" and Muhammad Haji Salleh's "Words For Father". Both poems will be a challenge for me, because I have not learned both poems in depth before. I promised to myself that I would search information about the two poems as soon as possible.

sTuDeNt's BLoCK

oh, it is quite depressing...until now i dont have ideas to deal with my research paper yet...I'm bored of analysing novels that i had done before...feel like doing reseach paper on short stories or poems...

hm, poems might be hard to be digested, but it would be fun...short stories sound very interesting, it's not as lengthy as novels and easier than poems...